spittle

sa·li·va

(să-lī'vă),

A clear, tasteless, odorless, slightly acidic (pH 6.8) viscid fluid, consisting of the secretion from the parotid, sublingual, and submandibular salivary glands and the mucous glands of the oral cavity; its function is to keep the mucous membrane of the mouth moist, to lubricate food during mastication, and, in a measure, to convert starch into maltose, the latter action being effected by a diastatic enzyme, ptyalin.

spittle

Etymology: AS, spittan, spew

saliva.

sa·li·va

(să-lī'vă)

A clear, tasteless, odorless, slightly acid (pH 6.8) viscid fluid, consisting of the secretions from the parotid, sublingual, and submandibular salivary glands and the mucous glands of the oral cavity; its function is to keep the mucous membrane of the mouth moist, to lubricate food during mastication, and to convert starch into maltose. Synonym(s): spittle.

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